When the Truth is Found
by AKJ4
Summary: Explores Sister Brigid's reasons for leaving The Royal in series 3.
1. Chapter 1

This fic is set during episodes 03:07 and 03:08 (_Skin Deep_ and _Cliffhanger_). I've taken some dialogue from those episodes, but the main focus of the story is around Sister Brigid's thoughts and reasons.

I wrote this fic in 2006. However, I've decided to leave the story as it was when I originally wrote it.

* * *

><p><strong>When the Truth is Found<strong>

Sister Brigid walked along the corridor in St. Aidan's Royal Free Hospital, file in her arm and searching for Nurse Samantha Beaumont. Matron was due on her ward rounds in half and hour Nurse Beaumont was needed to help Pearl make the beds in Milner Ward. Sister Brigid shook her head; sometimes she thought that girl was a liability, but other times, she really proved herself and showed that she had the potential to be a fantastic nurse.

She glanced into the hospital kitchen and wasn't too surprised to see her in there with Staff Nurse Meryl Taylor. She was about to reprimand Nurse Beaumont when she spoke.

"Aren't they so sweet? They're in love."

Curiosity getting the better of her, Sister came up behind them and followed their gazes out of the window to see Doctor Gordon Ormerod and Doctor Jill Weatherill talking together in the hospital grounds. She admired the way Doctor Ormerod had come through the terrible illness of his wife and then her death. Hearing Samantha's comment, she drew herself up with anger. "Don't you think that poor man has suffered enough without you spreading vile rumours?"

Nurse Beaumont turned to face her, incredulity written on her face. "Don't tell me you didn't know."

Staff Nurse Taylor turned around as well and said in a mock whisper, "Those two have been an item for _ages_ apparently."

Sister was taken aback, she had no idea. She felt strangely betrayed, disappointed and angered by the doctors. She swallowed hard, pulling herself together. "Nurse Beaumont, go to Milner Ward immediately and help Pearl with the beds." She said it a little more harshly than intended, but how she spoke to a slacking nurse wasn't one of top priorities at that moment.

She stayed in the kitchen for about ten minutes after that, gazing out the window at the doctors talking, her head still spinning with the revelation. How had she not seen it? How had she let herself believe something that was blatantly impossible? She found herself questioning many events, words, atmospheres, tiny details that had happened over the last few months.

As she did this, she felt Staff Nurse looking at her, probably wondering why she was acting so out of character, Sister Brigid imagined. It wasn't like her to stare at people, to stand, apparently doing nothing while she was at work.

Sister turned abruptly and left the kitchen, throwing Nurse Taylor a quick, sideways glance. She was standing, slightly opened mouthed and looking after her bewilderedly and quite concerned.

Sister Brigid had made her decision. She marched down the corridor, stopped outside and office door and knocked.


	2. Chapter 2

"Come in." said the person inside the office, her voice brisk, professional but kind.

Sister did so and gazed for a moment at the person who had led her, kindly and firmly through her nursing career.

"Ahh Sister Brigid. Take a seat." After she had seated, Matron gazed at her for a moment, but when Sister didn't speak, she did. "Is there anything wrong?"

Sister swallowed, her earlier conviction wavering for a moment, but then she thought back to the scene in the garden. "I've come to tell you I'm resigning." She felt the need to explain but didn't know how. She couldn't put her feelings into words; she didn't even think the woman sitting in front of her would understand.

Matron gazed at her, her blue eyes seemingly boring into her very soul, seeking out her innermost thoughts, and ultimately making Sister feel increasingly uncomfortable. Eventually though, she spoke. "Is something wrong, has someone upset you?"

"No no, nothing's wrong. I just feel that I've been neglecting my religious obligations of late. I need to make a retreat."

The woman in front of her sighed. "Well, if you feel it's for the best…"

"I do Matron."

"I won't stand in your way." Her voice signalled a resignation to the situation. She stood up and held out her hand which Sister took and shook warmly. "I wish you all the best for the future."

Sister Brigid made her way to the door, opened it and turned to look once more upon the saddened face. "God bless Matron." She closed the door behind her, the click locking a door of her life. She checked her watch and proceeded towards Fawcett Ward; only two hours left of her shift, two hours before she would leave the hospital for good.


	3. Chapter 3

As Sister Brigid cycled away from the hospital that evening with a leaden lump in her chest, beginning to have second thoughts, she stopped and looked back. A few nurses who had finished their shifts were heading towards the Nurses' Home; Ken, Alun and Lizzie were just leaving the building, chatting and gesturing animatedly; Steve, one of the ambulance drivers was washing the ambulance; and Doctor Ormerod and Doctor Weatherill were talking beside their cars. Neither of them looked particularly happy as far as she could tell from the distance she was observing from, but she didn't even begin to ponder why. Instead, the second thoughts were replaced by the same torrent of emotions as earlier.

Sister placed her feet on her pedals and rode away, not looking back again.

* * *

><p>Earlier that day, about an hour or so after she'd left Matron's office, she'd passed Doctor Weatherill in the hospital corridor. Anger blinded her as she whipped around, sharp words on the tip of her tongue, ready and aiming at the doctor.<p>

However, before she had a chance to utter a syllable, she heard her name being called from the other end of the corridor. It was Doctor Goodwin with a question about whether a patient had passed water.

In hindsight, she was glad she'd been stopped from unleashing the hurtful words at Doctor Weatherill. She would have regretted it later, she was sure. She knew why she nearly did it; she was headstrong. And that's what she told Matron the following day when she came to visit her at the convent, in response to her question about what the real reason she'd left was.

"I'm headstrong Matron. I'll do something I'll regret." Sister knew Matron wouldn't know what she might regret doing, and thankfully, she didn't press the issue.

They lapsed into silence as they walked through the convent's gardens, the sun making their surroundings even more beautiful, reflecting neither of their moods.

After a few minutes, a nun came running towards them. "Matron, your hospital called. There's been an accident by the cliffs. They said it's urgent.'

Matron thanked her and turned to Sister Brigid. "I'd best be going then." She paused and smiled but sadness tinged the corners. "Maybe you could come back for a proper send off, a party or something."

Brigid shook her head. "No, I think it's best I don't." Matron gazed at her, her features conveying her puzzlement, but once again, she didn't force Sister to elaborate.

"Well I suppose this is goodbye Brigid."

"God bless Matron." She stood alone as the older woman walked away from her and out of the garden. A seagull flew above her, seemingly following her, and when she entered the convent, out of Brigid's view, it cawed and swooped away. The action almost seemed like a symbol to her, seeming to convey a sense of finality.

Brigid sighed, at a loss of what to do for a moment before familiar instincts took over her and she rushed into the convent. "Sister Alice," She addressed a nearby nun. "Can you help me collect blankets please? And Sister Mary, can you prepare some flasks of tea?" With that she bustled further into the building, Sister Alice hurrying to catch up with her.


	4. Chapter 4

Laden with blankets and tea, Sister Brigid arrived at the accident site at the cliff top. She looked around for a moment; several people with minor injuries were sitting on grass verges, being tended to by Staff Nurse Taylor, Frankie Robinson and a couple of passers-by. Matron was talking to one of the rescue workers near the edge.

Brigid moved up to Matron and waited until she'd finished. As she saw her, a slight look of surprise registered on her face.

"I've brought tea and blankets Matron. I thought you would be in need of some."

"Yes thank you. I don't suppose you could help could you?" Matron said, her gaze flicking between Brigid and the bottom of the cliffs.

"Yes of course. That's why I'm here. It doesn't change anything though."

"No, no." Matron's gaze finally rested at the cliff bottom, an uneasy expression on her face.

Brigid followed her gaze. "What happened?"

"Fossil hunters were walking along the top here and the cliff gave way from under them. There are a few more casualties down there. Doctor Ormerod is down there as well but we can't see him. The rescue worker I was just talking to said he must have moved further along the rocks. The tide will be up to the cliff in ten minutes." She looked worriedly at Brigid for a second. "Right here's another one." She referred to a patient being pulled up the cliff and left Brigid standing there.

Panic felt like a caged bird in her chest, its wings flapping furiously. She looked once more over the edge, vainly trying to spot the doctor, but all she saw were rescue workers and the ever rapidly advancing tide. The noise of the waves crashing on the rocks was indistinguishable from the roaring in her head as her worry for Doctor Ormerod heightened with each passing minute.

She swallowed, tore her eyes away and moved away from the cliff edge to aid the injured people.


	5. Chapter 5

"Five minutes and those rocks will be underwater."

Brigid tore her eyes away from the cliff edge to look at the rescue worker, alarmed. "Can't you do something?"

"We're doing all we can. There are still two rescuers down there as well as your doctor and that woman. We don't know what's happening."

She shifted her feet nervously, and clutched the two blankets she was holding closer to her chest. Apart from the rescue workers, not many people were left at the cliff; Matron had returned to the hospital to help, the passers-by had found it too cold and departed. Besides, there was no more for them to do. Only Frankie and Nurse Davenport had stayed, waiting to take the remaining fossil hunter to the hospital.

She sighed, her eyes wandered absentmindedly over the horizon and then flicked suddenly to the rescue worker she spoken to previously. He was jogging towards her.

"They're bringing the woman up now. You doctor is next to come up. Just in time I'd say."

Brigid let out a shaky breath. "Thank you Lord."

It only took a few minutes for the four people to be brought up the cliff. She wrapped a red hospital blanket around the shivering woman who was then taken by Nurse Davenport into the awaiting ambulance. She then turned to Doctor Ormerod and placed her remaining blanket around his shoulders.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes thank you Sister." She could detect a certain amount of nerves and relief in his voice.

"What happened?"

"The lady had a guilty conscience, refused to go up, and I stayed to change her mind. All in a day's work I suppose." He let out an audible breath. "Though I can safely say I'm glad to be back up."


	6. Chapter 6

Sister Brigid left Matron's office, her white apron on and a certain happy bounce to her stride. Matron had commented that she hadn't stayed away for long. And she was right, straight after the cliff accident, she'd returned to the hospital and asked for her job back. Matron didn't hesitate in complying and once again, no questions were asked. The woman seemed to have an uncanny ability to know when or when not to inquire further into matters. Then again, she was probably just experienced and wise.

Brigid smiled as she recalled Matron's parting comment. 'It's good to have you back'. It was good to be back. She didn't know who she thought she was kidding, trying to leave the place. In a weird way, she thought that maybe the accident was a sign, the little push she needed to make her see she was being foolish.

Seeing Doctor Ormerod risking his life to save a woman was all that she needed to return to the hospital. And when she did, she learnt that the rest of the staff had been risked their lives and worked tirelessly. Some of the staff had been held hostage in theatre and still continued to operate on a man and save his life. Meanwhile, Doctor Weatherill had been single handily manning casualty.

Brigid felt ashamed that she had thought Doctor Weatherill was a bad person. She knew she wasn't, it was just learning about her and Doctor Ormerod's relationship that had made her feel that way.

Thinking through this, she suddenly realised why she had felt betrayed and angered. She had admired Doctor Ormerod so much; he coped so well after his wife's accident and the long repercussions until her eventual death. She had placed him on a pedestal in a way, but hearing that he'd been in a relationship with Doctor Weatherill for a long time, made her realise that he wasn't perfect. He'd betrayed her vision of him.

So from that stemmed anger, directed at Doctor Weatherill. Brigid had believed the young doctor had led him astray in a way, and had a part to play in ruining her image of him.

After the accident though, she once again knew that they were both good people and they deserved to be happy together.

As she came to the conclusion of her emotions, she heard a certain male doctor's voice behind her.

"It's good to have you back Sister."

The End


End file.
